Cooker



May 16, 1939.

M.F.THAU

COOKER Filed April 4. 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNE v Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES! PATENT. OFFICE cooxaa Ma: r. mu. Los melee Calif. Application April 4, ms, saw no. 199.876

'lOlaims.

This invention relates to improvements in cookers. g

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved pressure cooker. .Another object of the invention is to provide a novel self-basting cooker.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for mounting the container of a pressure cooker. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel heat control means for a pressure cooker. A further object of the invention is to provide a novel closure securing means for a pressure cooker. Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying win s, wherein:

Fig; 1 is a side elevation of a cooker embodying the features-of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2'of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the housing closure clamp;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the clamp disclosedin Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the drum; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the drumclosure;-

Fig. 7-is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the clamp for the drum closure; 7

, Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on line H of Fig. "I;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section taken on line 9-8 of Fig. 2; 36. Fig. 10 is a section taken on line lO-ll'of Fig. 1; A

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary central sectional view through the drum and housing;

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line lI-ll of 40 Fig. 13 is an enlarged section taken on line II- I! of Fi 11;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary section showing a modified housing clamp; and 45 Fig. .15 is a fragmentary elevation showing the modified closure.

Referring to the drawings by'reference characters I have indicated my improved ccoker'generally at It. As shown the cooker is mounted on 50 a base ii and includes a housing I! which includes a front wall If, a rear wall it and side walls i5 and IS. The housing includes an upper closure II which is hinged as at I. to the hous-' ing. The closure i1 is pivotally mounted as at 55 II to the rear wall l4 and includes clamping devices 20 (see Figs. 3 and 4) which are pivotally mounted to brackets ii on the closure. Each device 20 includes a downwardly protruding hook 22 which when closed hooks to a bracket 23 on the front wall 13 of the housing l2. 5

Each clamp device 20 includes an integral outwardly extending handle 24 which is normally urged downwardly by a spring 25. Upon lifting the handles 24 the'hooks 22 are disengaged from the bracket 23 and the closure I! is free to be 10 opened. The front wall ll of the housing I! includes openings 26 and 21 on which closures 28 and 29 are pivotally mounted. The closures include catches 30 and II.

The housing II includes a bottom 32 spaced 15 from the base I l and supported on brackets which are'in turn secured to the walls of the housing It. Mounted on the bottom I! I provide a burner 34 which isconnected by'a conduit 35 to an auto- 1 niatic pressure control 36. The valve 38 iscon- 20 tom of the receptacle 3! and beneath a container 42 which is mounted on supports-43 which are secured to'the sides of the box 38. The container 4! is preferably filled with wood shavings as e.g. 35 hickory shavings. The burner is connected to the fuel line ll by a conduit 44 which includes a valve 4!.

' A 'conduitll leads from the receptacle I! through the side I! of the housing I! and upwardly to a T-member 41 which is in turn connected to a horizontal conduit 48 having avalve 49 thereon remote from the T-member 41. The valve ll is connectedfto a sleeve 50 by a coupling ii. The sleeve 50 is secured to a collar 52 by a set screw 53. The collar 52 is in turn suitably secured in an aperture 54 in the wall i5 of.the

housing I 2 as by welding; The sleeve includes a central bore 55 in which I arrange a conduit 56. The conduit I. has the inner end sealed as 50 at 51 and includes lateral discharge apertures 58'.

The conduit 56 is connected bya collar I! to a conduit 59 which has its inner end sealed as at 60 and which includes inlet apertures ll.

The conduit 53 is engaged in a central bore ll 55 at 84 to receive anti-friction bearings 85.

in a sleeve 62. Onthe sleeve 62 I secure a second collar 63 by a set screw 69. The collar 63 is secured as by welding in an aperture 66 in the wall I6 of the housing I2.

The bore 6| in the sleeve 62 hasan' enlarged bore 66 on the outer end thereof in which a safety valve 61 operates. The safety valve includes a valve 68 which coacts with a valve seat 69 located between the bore 6I and the enlarged bore 66. the valve seat 69 by a spring I9 which acts against a closure II which is threadedly adjustable in the outer end of the bore 66. The bore 66 is provided with a discharge aperture I2 disposed between the stopper II and the valve seat 69.

A pressure gauge 13 communicates with the bore 6| being .fitted in a threaded aperture 13' in the collar 62. A conduit I4 communicates with the bore 6| through a threaded aperture I9 in the collar 62 and extends downwardly to a-threeway valve which includes a discharge outlet I6 to the atmosphere. From the valve 15 a conduit 11 extends to the pressure valve 36 communicates with the conduit 35.

Arranged within the housing I2 I provide a drum I8 which includes curved end portions 19 and a cylindrical central section 89. The end portions 19 have central apertures 8| in which are welded as at 82' hubs 62. Each hub 82 includes a central aperture 83 which is enlarged as The sleeves 59 and 62 have reduced portions engaging the inner element of the anti-friction bearlugs 85.

Retaining rings are fixed on the outer ends of .the hubs 82. Each hub 92 is externally threaded as at 97 to receive a cap 69. Packing material 99 is introduced between the bevelled inner end.

of the caps-89, the bevelled outer end of the hubs 82 and the outer surface of the collars so and s2.

The outer end of the collar 52 is inwardly bevelled to receive packing 9| which is held in place by a cap 92 which threadedly engages the collar 52.

The cylindrical central section of the drum I8 includes an opening 93 which is closed by a closure 94 pivotally mounted on a slotted bracket 95. The opening- 93 includes an inwardly directed flange 96 against which an inwardly directed flange 91 on the closure 94 may be tightly sealed by clamping members 98 which are pivotally mounted on pins 99 on the cylindrical central section of the drum I9. The clamping members 98 each includes an operating portion I99 which in turn contacts a wedge "II on the closure member 99 thereby tightly sealing the closure 98 in the opening 93 when turned in one direction.

The cylindrical central section of the drum 18 includes inwardly directed ribs I92'which catch the meat juices and when the drum is rotated carry the juices upwardly to discharge the juices onto the material being cooked. The drum is provided with a drain plug I93.

I weld or otherwise secure to the end of the semi-cylindrical end wall I9 of the drum I8 a sprocket I94. A chain I96 extends from the sprocket through an opening I96 in. the rear wall It and engagw a sprocket I91 which is in turn driven through a gear box I98 by a motor I99. The motor I99 is supported on the base II.

Mounted on the conduits 66 and 66 I show collars H9 which are held in place by set screws III. The collars III have pins II2 passing there- The'valve '68 is normally urged against whichspacers I21.

through and also include hooks I I3. The plus I I2, and hooks II3 serve to support meat, etc.

In order to provide means whereby smoke from the wood chips in the container is led away from the drum I provide a pipe Ill which has a valve I I5 connected thereto and which is connected to the T-member 41 and thus is connected to the ignited the burner 34 heats the outside of the drum 18 while the burner ll creates smoke from the wood shavings or other material within the container 42. When the valve 49 is open steam or smoke from the container 92 passes through the conduit 56 out through the apertures 56 intothe drum I 18. The smoke fllls the drum and passes from the drum along with the hot gases from the meat being cooked through the apertures 59 into the conduit 59 and bore 5I to the safety valve 61 and through the conduit H. When the pressure increases, if the valve I6 is open, the flow of gas to the burner 39 will be regu-' lated by the automatic pressure control valve 38.

In Figs. 14 and 15 I show a modification of my invention wherein the drum I2 includes an upper part I29 and a lower part I. The parts have a peripheral rib member thereon which includes a bevelled portion I22 which projects outwardly. A packing I23 is provided between the bevelled portions I22. A clamping member I24 which consists of a plurality of V-shaped blocks I 25 is provided. The V-shaped blocks are mounted on a flexible metal band I26 and are separated by The V-shaped blocks are tightened by end members I29 which are engaged by a bolt I29. Y

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have invented a novel cooker which is highly eftlcient for the intended purpose.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim:

1. In a cooker, an outer housing, a cylindrical 3. In a cooker, a housing having a bottom there- I in, a burner in said housing, a sleeve member at each end of said housing, means to hold said sleeve members in place, a drum disposed within said housing, said drum having end portions,

anti-friction members supported on said sleeves, means on said drum engaging said anti-friction members, a conduit on one of said sleeves and having inlets leading to the interior of the drum, and a safety valve on said conduit.

4. In a cooker, a housing having a bottom therein, a sleeve member at each end of said housing, means to hold said sleeve member in place, a drum' disposed within said housing, said drum having end portions, anti-friction members supported on said sleeves, means on said drum engaging said anti-friction members, a conduit extending from one sleeve and having outlets opening into said drum, a second conduit in the other sleeve, said second conduit having inlets leading to the interior of the second sleeve, a plurality of meat supporting members mounted on said conduits, a

sprocket on one of said sleeves, a motor, a second sprocket driven by said motor and a chain confriction members supported on said sleeves, ahub on each end of said drum engaging said.

anti-friction members, a container in said housing, a burner for heating said container, a conduit passing from said container to one of said sleeves, a conduit extending from one sleeve and having outlets opening into said drum, 8. second conduit in the other sleeve, said second conduit having inlets leading to the interior of the other sleeve, and a safety valve on said other sleeve.

6. In a cooker, a housing having a bottom therein, a burner in said'housing, a sleeve member at each end of said housing, ineans to hold said sleeve members in place, a drum disposed within said housing, said drum having end portions, anti-friction members supported on said sleeves, a hub on each end of said drum engaging said anti-friction members, a container in said housing, a burner for heating said container, a conduit passing from said container to one of said sleeves, a conduit extending from said one sleeve and having outlets opening into said drum,

a second conduit in the other sleeve, said second conduit having inlets leading to the interior of the other sleeve, a safety valve on said other sleeve,

- means to supply fuel to said first mentioned burner, said means including a conduit having a pressure controlled valve therein, and a pipe connecting said other sleeve and said pressure controlled valve.

7. In a cooker, a housing having a bottom therein, a heating member in said housing, a

sleeve 'member at each end of said housing, means to hold said sleeve member in place, a drum dis posed within said housing, said drum having end portions, anti-friction members supported on said sleeves, means on said drum engaging said antifriction members, a container in said housing, a burner for heating said container, a conduit passing from said container to one of said sleeves, a

conduit extending from said one sleeve and having outlets opening into said drum, a second conduit in the other sleeve, said second conduit having inlets leading from the drum to the interior of the second sleeve, a safety valve on said second conduit, means to supply fuel to said first mentioned burner, said means including a conduit having a pressure valve therein, a pipe connect-- ing said second sleeve and said conduit, a plurality of meat supporting members mounted on said conduits, a sprocket on one of said sleeves, a motor, a second sprocket driven by said motor and a chain connecting said sprockets.

' MAX F. THAU. 

